Method of and apparatus for measuring the evenness of materials



METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURNG THE EVENNESS OF' MATERIALS Filed Feb', 26, 195o 5 sneefswsheei l M7@ dma METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING TH` VENNESS OF MATERIALS Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llt-lilly ATTORNEYS PY M 1936. J. L. REM/mw: ET AL 2,037,44

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE EVENNESS OF MATERIALS Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w INVENTORS Joh/Af' @f3/je rz CHW/afs f 055/2 A TTORNEY Amig Mv i936, J. L. REHNARTZ @TAL l 2937?@44 METHOD OF AND APPARATS FOR MEASURNG THE EVENNESS OF MATERIALS Filed, Feb, 2e, 19530 5 sheets-sheet 11 April 14, 1936 J. L. REINAR-rz AL 2,037,044

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING THE EVENNSS OF MATERIALS Filed Feb. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TORS BY m@ MM A TTORNEY` surface, the cloth'being tightly secured on each. longitudinal edge of the board by means of a strip i8 which is set intol a longitudinally extending groove. Sheet metal strips l2 are secured by screws I4 to the longitudinal edges of the board, with their ends rolled to provide beads i8 which project beyond the sides of the board so that upon winding the strands on the board the stretches thereof extending between the projecting beads on the strips I8, are spaced from the sides of the board. After the strands have been woundon the board, the portions thereof extending over each of the longitudinal edges of the board are clamped between a strip I8 and a rubber pad 28, the clamping being accomplished by means of wing screws 22 which extend through apertures in the strip I8 and are screw-threaded into a strip 23 secured to the underside of the sheet metal strip i8. The ends oi' the board are provided with trunnions 24 secured thereto in axial alinement.

To wind the strands on the board the wing screws 22 and the clamping strips I8 are first removed, and then the board may be placed in a machine of the type oi the one described and claimed in U. S..Letters Patent to F. J. Schmutz, No. 1,448,980, dated March 28, 1923. In winding each strand on the board with this machine, the end of the strand is secured to the board by means of a clip 28 and then the board is revolved by the machine about its longitudinal axis, the strand being guided and'moved longitudinally of the board so as to cause the strand to be evenly wound on the board with the desired number of strands to the inch. When each strand has been thus wound on the board, its' outer end is secured to one oi' the clips 28. The board may then be removed from said patented machine and the clamping strips I8 applied as above described. 'I'he stretches of the several strands at one side of the board are then cut ofi'.

The board with the strands extending over but one side thereof, may then be mounted in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings (Figs. 1 to 5) by inserting the trunnions 24 in U-shaped seats 28 formed on brackets 38. These brackets are split so as to embrace uprights 32 to which they are secured. The board is held from axial movement in the seats 28 by a leaf spring 34, (Fig. 5) having one end secured to the bracket 38 and itsl other end engaging the end of the associated trunnion 24. I'he board is securely held upright by spring wires or -rods 38 extending tightly over the front side of the board at the ends thereof and having their ends secured to horizontal rods or pipes 38 connecting the ends of the uprights 32. 'I'he uprights 32 and the horizontal rods 38 constitute a frame or carrier for the board. 'I'his frame or carrier is mounted on four-wheeled trucks 48 which ride on the upturned edges of a channel iron 42 secured on the top of a table 44. 'I'his arrangement permits the board and its carrier to be moved longitudinally. T'he carrier is held from lateral tipping movement by a flanged roller 48 which engages the upper frame or carrier member 38. Theroller 48 is mounted on a hanger secured to a rod or pipe 48 which has its ends secured to cross members 88 which in turn have their ends secured to uprights 82 that are secured to the top of the table 44.

A photo-electric cell 84 and its shield 88 is mounted in front oi' the board with its slot opposite to the center of the slot 8 in the board, the

slot in the cell shield being spaced a slight dis.

- table 44.

tance from the stretches of strands on the board. 'I'he photo-electric cell with its shield is mounted on` a bracket 88 secured to a centrally located upright 88 having its lower end secured to the table 44 and its upper end secured to the outer end of a forwardly projecting frame member 82 having its rear endfsecured to the frame member 48. At the rear side of the strand examining board 2 and in alinement with the photo-electric cell and the slot 8 in the board, a suitable light projector 84 is mounted on a bracket 88 secured to an upright 88 having its lower end pivoted at 18 on a bracket projecting from the rear side oi' the table 44 and its upper end detachably secured by a clamp 12 to a frame member 14 projecting rearwardly from the horizontal frame member 48. The frame member 88 is thus pivotally mounted at its lower end and detachably secured at its upper end so as to permit it,

together with the light projector 84, to be swung rearwardly to allow for insertion and removal of the strand examining board 2 in its carrier. A rod 18 has one end pivotally connected with the upright and its other end extends through a guiding opening in a side of the supporting A nutand washer 18 is secured on the free or inner end of the rod 18, and a spring' 88 is loosely coiled about the rod adjacent the side of the table. With this construction, when the upright 88 is swung outwardly, the nut and washer 18 by engagement with the coiled spring 88 serve as a buil'er to yieldingly limit the outward movement of the upright 88 and thus obviate the danger of causing undue shock or jar to the light projector 84. y

The means for moving the board with its carrier longitudinally, comprises a sprocket chain 82 which passes over the sprockets 84 mounted on suitable brackets on the underside of the top of the table 44. The upper stretch of the sprocket chain slideson a bar 88 set into the top of the table. 'Any suitable takeup device 88 may be provided for adjusting the right hand sprocket longitudinally of the table to take up slack in the chain.

The board carrier may be detachably secured to the chain82 by means of a downwardly springpressed plunger 88 (Fig. 3) which extends through an aperture in a block 88 secured to the lower horizontal member 38 of the board carrier. The lower end oi' said spring-pressed plunger 88 is adapted to engage between the pivots of the links of the chain 82. The plunger is adapted to be lifted to move its lower end out of engagement with the carrier chain to stop the movement of the carrier, by means o1' a lever 82 which is pivoted at 84 on the block 88, and has the end of its rear arm pivotally connected with the upper end of the plunger and its other arm extended forwardly beneath the board carrier so as to permit it to be conveniently grasped by the hand of the operator and depressed to retract the plunger 88. In order that the plunger may also be retracted by the operator while standing at the back of the machine, a rearwardly extending lever 88 is pivotally mounted at 88 on the block 88 and has the inner end of its forward arm pivotally connected with the upper end of the plunger 88 and its other end extended over a hand grasp |88 on the Iblock 88. With this construction it will be apparent that at any time, the travel of the board may be stopped and started at the will of the operator.

The left-hand sprocket ,84 is driven so as to drive the chain, by means of a shaft |82 (Fig. 8)

on which it is mounted and which is driven through a worm wheel |04 secured thereon and engaged by a worm |06 on a shaft IDB which in turn carries a, worm wheel HU that is driven by a worm ||2 carried by a drive shaft H4. The drive shaft ||4 is coupled at l It to the shaft of an electric motor H8. This gearing is enclosed by a suitable oil case |20 secured on the under' side of the table '44.

The board carrier is carried bythe sprocket chain 82 from the left to right of the apparatus viewing Fig. l, and when it reaches the limit oi its advancing movement the head of a screw iii?. (Fig 2) on the plunger block Sil engages the upper end of a lever |24 which projects upwardly through a slot in the top of the table 44 and swings the lever therewith against the tension of a spring |26 connected with the lever. This lever |24 is the shifting lever oi a mercury or other switch in circuit with the driving motor I i6 and when the lever ls thus moved by the screw head |i2,'the switch is opened and thus the operation of the driving mechanism for the board -ing the plunger 88 from the carrier chain, the

spring |26 swings the lever E24 in the opposite di= rection to again close the motor circuit and thus again render the driving mechanism tor the sprocket chain operative.

in circuit with a magnetic count/er iti (Fig. ll), hereinafter described, are two Contact inembers i228 (Figs. 3 and 4) that are mounted in a block |3 oi-insulating material. The upper ends of the Contact members i228 carry binding screws 32 for connection with the wires oi the circuit and a contact ball i3d extends into an atrial bore in the lower end or each contact member and is pressed downwardly by means of a coiled spring 53S;

The contact balls H34 ride on contact strips |38 set into the top of the table d4. The contact strips 38 are electrically connected so that when the balls are iii-contact therewith, the cirn cuitthrough the magnetic counter l2? is closed. The surfaces of the contact strips 338, however, are interrupted by pieces or" insulating material liti?` (Fig. 2) so that as the balls run over these pieces of insulating material said circuit is opened.` These pieces of insulating material i130 are suitablyarranged so that as the last strand o each group or panel of strands passes the photo-electric, the circuit is opened but is again closed as the foremost strand of the next group or panel comes opposite the photo-electric cell. in the circuit illustrated in Fig. il, electron discharge tubes |44 and i46 which may be radio tubes of the type known as UX222, are employed each oi which has a control grid |48, a screen grid |56, an anode plate |52 and a filament ld. The grid |48 of the tube |414 is connected with the photo-electric cell "54 so that light variations all= ing on the cell causes a variable current through said grid. i A transformer |56 through its two secondaries i5? and |58 supplies the two tubes 244 and Mld with plate supply currents. The secondary i5?! has one of its leads connected to the plate 52 or the tube |44, and its other lead to the larnent 54 of tube 146; and the secondary l5@ has one of its leads connected to the plate 52 of the tube |46, and its other lead to the lament 54 of the tube |44. A potentiometer |60 is provided between the grid |48 of the tube |46 and the secondary |51.

When a current iiows between the filament |54 of the tube H46 and the plate |52 of the tube |44, it is balanced by a similar iiow between the iilament 554 of the tube 445 and the plate 252 of the tube |45. When a voltage is set up in the grid |48 of the tube G44 by the action of light in the photo-electric cell 54, this balance is upset and similar voltage must be set up in the grid |48 of the tube 46 to regain this balance. This may be accomplished by means of the potentiometer HSG.

The plates of the tubes |144 and id are connected through leads it? and |63 to a suitable amplifying circuit or so-called power pack oi any standard make which when plugged into a light socket from which 110 volts plus and minus alterhating current is applied, it will first change the il@ volts to dill) plus or minus and then rectify it to make it 400 volts direct current and subdivide tilis 40o volts through suitable resistors to obtain 45 and then 45 plus and minus 90 and 400 volts. This amplifying unit is indicated at lid. After passing through the amplifying unit il@ the current flows through a winding H2 in a watt hour meter lid, while the other winding llt of the watt hour meter is supplied from an external source of current through a resistance Dit. revolve only when current is supplied to the winding H2 irorn the amplifying unit lil) and in direct proportion thereto. Attached to the meter rotor shaft ls a commutator le@ with which brushes i532 and M33 lare in contact. brushes are connected with the magnetic counter itl hereinbefore referred to. The commutator may have ten segments so that one revolution will transmit ten electrical impulses to the counter lit.

In using our improved apparatus, a grid frame it@ (Fig. l) may be employed on which are secured copper wires itil. rIhese wires should correspond in size to the standard of the particular size or grade of strands to be measured. For example if it is desired to measure the evenne'ss or uniformity of t silk, these wires should be of .0025 of an inch in diameter which is the nearest equivalent to this grade of silk, the latter being approximately .00217 of an inch in diamends so as to permit the projections iSd to be inserted in one end oi the strand examining slots S and the grid held therein by said clips H92.

In measuring or evaluating groups or panels of strands arranged on the examining board as above described, this copper wire grid frame H85 is first pdsitioned in the slot 6 oi the examin-y ing board and the board moved by the means above described between the photo-electric cell and the light projector from right to left. While the frame G56 is thus presented to the photoelectric cell, the potentiometer |60 is adjusted so as to set up the same voltage in the grid E48 or the tube 46 as is set up in the grid of the tube i411 by the action oi light diiused through the spaces between the wires oi said frame in the photo electric cell. in this way the rotor of the watt hour meter is brought to a stop or balanced position when this wire grid frame is used. A secn ond wire grid frame is now inserted in the slot of the board of such light ltration that when the frame is presented to the photoeelectric cell, the rotor makes ten revolutions per minute.

The rotor oi the watt hour meter will l' These l ltric cell at a uniform rate.

By experiment'it has been determined that .0035 copper wire meets this condition, where .00225 wire is used to balance the circuit. This grid frame we term the calibrating frame, and its purpose is to check the Vsensitivity of thc unit.

The apparatus with thc circuit thusn adjusted is now ready to evaluate the yarn samples on the board, the board being moved as above described from right to left past the photo-elec- During such movement of the board, the commutator of the watt hour meter will rotate in opposite directions proportionally to the differences in the evenness of the strands plus or minus the one hundred per cent. value o-f the original setting, and this would be recorded by the magnetic counter. If for example the rotor of the watt hour meter makes 2.5,- 1.0 and .5 revolutions, respectively, then there would be a 25, l0 and 5 reading on the magnetic counter since the rotor, as above'described, has ten segments, these readings would indicate that y the strand samples were 75, and 95 per cent. of a known standard represented by the per cent. grid frame.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that with our improved apparatus and in accordance with our improved method silk or other strands may be accurately evaluated in percentages byV comparing with an assumed standard.

It will be apparent that in place of the watt hour meter and magnetic counter, a graphic recording watt meter may be employed.

The balanced circuit connected with the photoelectric cell and the amplifying circuit |10 may be conveniently arranged in a shield or box |94 mounted on a shelf |96 beneath the table, the fro-nt of the box being provided with a control panel board |98 (Fig. 1). 'Ihe several batteries indicated at 200 for the circuit, may also be mounted on its lower shelf. The watt hour meter |15 and the magnetic counter |21 may be mounted on the top of the table 44.

While the means and method described for measuring electrical currents arc particularly adapted fo-r use in connection with a photo-electric cell and in connection with an apparatus of the type ,illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that said circuit may be put to other uses where it is desired to measure minute electric currents. Also,-while my improved apparatus is particularly adapted for measuring the evenness of strands in the form of yarn, it may in certain instances be used for measuring the evenness of cloth, and various other materials. In some instances, also, the light source may be so located that instead of diffusing or transmitting light through the material to the light sensitive cell, it may rcilect light from the material to the cell. It ,will also be apparent that our invention permits various modifications to be made without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What We claim is:

1. Apparatus of the class described having,` in combination, a light sensitive cell, a light source, a support for strands arranged side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch between said cell and light source whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between the strands to said ce`-l, and means for moving said support so as to successively present said strands to said cell and light source.

arranged side by side in closely spaced relation with a denite number to the inch between said cell and light source whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between said strands to said cell, means for relatively moving said device and support so as to cause said strands to be successively presented to said cell and light source, and means for measuring the variation in electrical impulses from said cell during said relative movement of said cell and strands.

3. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a device comprising alight sensitive cell and a source of light, a support for strands arranged side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch between said cell and light source whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between said strands to said cell, and means for relatively moving said device and support so as to cause said strands to be successively presented to said cell and light source, and a device in circuit with the cell vfor measuring the evenness of said strands with relation to a given standard.

4. The method of measuring thenevenness of strands which comprises arranging the strands side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, passing the strands thus arranged between a light sensitive cell and a source of light whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between the strands to said cell, and measuring the variation in electrical impulses from said cell during said movement of the strands.

5. Apparatus of the class described having, in

combination, a light sensitive cell, a light source,

a board having an elongated opening, means for securing strands on one side of the board `across said opening with the strands arranged side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, and means for moving said board longitudinally between the cell and light source so that light from said source may diffuse through said slot and through the spaces between the strandsto said cell.

6. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a. board having a longitudinally extending opening, a carrier on which the board is detachabiy mounted, means for moving the carrier to move said board longitudinally at a uniform rate of speed, alight source arranged at one side of the board for directing a beam of light through the opening in the board, a light sensitive cell arranged adjacent the opposite side of the board, and means for securing strands on the side of the board adjacent said light sensitive cell with the strands arranged transversely of the board in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, whereby light from said source is diffused through said opening and through thespaces between the strands.

7. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a support for a plurality of groups oi.' strands spaced apart with the strands of each group arranged side by side in uniformly closely spaced relation with a denite number to the inch, a light sensitive cell, a lightsource, means for moving said support to successively present the' groups and successively present the strands of each group to the cell and light source, a device in circuit with the cell for indicating variations in the electrical impulses from the cell, and means acting automatically during the movement of the support for closing the cell circuit as the foremost strands of each group are presented to the cell and v ,2,087,044 for opening said circuit as the rearmost strands of each group pass said cell.

8. 'I'he method of comparing strands of an unknown standard with strands of a known standard, which comprises arranging the strands of the known standard in uniformly closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, passing these known strandsvthu-s arranged between a light sensitive cell and a source of light whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between said strands to said cell, measuring the electrical impulses in the cell circuit dur-Y ing said movement of the known strands past said cell, similarly arranging the strands of the unknown standard and passing them between said cell and light source, measuring the electrical impulses in said cell circuit during said movement of the last-mentioned strands, and comparing the two measurements that are thus taken.

9. Apparatus of the class described having, in

combination, a board having a longitudinally ex- I tending opening, a light source arranged at one side of the board for directing a beam of light through the opening in the board, alight sensitive cell arranged adiacent the opposite side of the board, means for securing strands on one side of the board with the strands arranged transversely of the board in closely spaced relation with a delinite number to the inch, whereby light from said source is diffused through said opening and through the spaces between the strands to said light sensitive cell, and means for relatively moving the light sensitive cell and board in a direction transversely of said strands, said light source and cell being maintained in position with relation to each other so that the light diffused through said opening and through the spaces between the strands passes to said cell.

10. 'Ihe method of measuring the evenness of strands which comprises winding a strand upon` a board having a longitudinally extending slot so as to cause the stretches of the strand extending between the edges of the board to extend across said slot in closely spaced relation with a denite number to the inch, clamping the portions of the strand adjacent the edges of the board so as to hold the stretches of the strand on one side of the board in position, severing off the portions of the stretches of the strand extending over the other side of the board, and measuring the evenness of the stretches extending across the slot by relatively moving the stretches of the strand thus held on the board and a light sensitive cell and its light source whereby light from said source may diffuse through the spaces between the stretches to said cell, and measuring the variation in electrical impulses from said cell during said movement of the stretches and cell.

11. The method of measuring the evenness of a strand which comprises arranging stretches of ythe strand side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, relatively moving the stretches thus arranged and a light sensitive cell with its light source whereby light from said source may diiuse through the spaces between the strands to said cell, and measuring the variation in electrical impulses from said cell during said relative movement of the cell and stretches.

12. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a device comprisingr a light sensitive cell and a source of light, and a support for strands arranged side by side in closely spaced relation with a definite number to the inch, means ior relatively moving said device and support so as to cause said strands to be successively presented to said cell and light source, and means for measuring the variation in electrical impulses from said cell during said relative movement of the cell and support. 

